1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to reciprocating devices, and in particular to spinning-reel reciprocating devices that pump the spool back and forth in cooperation with rotation of the handle.
2. Description of Related Art
Spinning-reel transverse-cam oscillating mechanisms (one example of a reciprocating device) include a driven gear meshing with a pinion gear, a threaded shaft, and a slider meshing with the threaded shaft. The threaded shaft is mounted to the front end of the driven gear and arranged in parallel with the spool shaft. The spool shaft is mounted to the slider and is axially immobile with respect to the slider.
In this transverse cam oscillating mechanism, the amount that the spool is shifted per rotation of the rotor depends on the lead angle of the threaded shaft. This means that the largeness of the inter-winding interval keeps the fishing line from winding on very efficiently.
JP H11-86A (1999) discloses an oscillating mechanism in which the amount that the spool is shifted back and forth per rotation of the handle is decreased, so that the fishing line can be wound densely onto the spool. The oscillating mechanism is provided with: a linking shaft disposed along an axis skew with the pinion gear so as to orient toward. the threaded shaft; a screw gear fixed to one end of the linking shaft and meshing with the pinion gear; a worm gear fixed to the other end of the linking shaft; and a worm wheel fitted non-rotatably to the threaded shaft and meshing with the worm gear. The linking shaft, linking the pinion gear and the threaded shaft, is arranged diagonally in the reel unit along an axis skew with the pinion gear to serve to make the reel unit thinner.
The above-noted conventional configuration utilizes the worm gear, and the worm wheel that meshes with the worm gear, for gearing-down in order to wind densely, meaning that special gears difficult to machine are used, which makes manufacturing costs high. Furthermore, because the linking shaft is disposed diagonally to link the pinion gear and the threaded gear, the linking shaft and the threaded shaft have to be established in different directions, and the bearings that support them also have to be established in the different directions. Establishing two types of bearings in the different directions makes guaranteeing machining precision difficult, elevating machining costs.
An object of the present invention is in holding down manufacturing costs and readily ensuring manufacturing precision in a reciprocating mechanism that enables dense winding.
According to a first aspect of the present invention, a spinning reel reciprocating device for shifting a spool back and forth when turning a handle attached to a reel unit of the spinning reel to which a rotor, onto which fishing line is guided, is mounted rotatively includes a drive gear, a stepped gear unit and a shifting means. The drive gear rotates when the handle is rotated. The stepped gear unit includes a larger-diameter gear meshing with the drive gear and a smaller-diameter gear arranged concentrically to the larger-diameter gear and rotating together with the larger-diameter gear. The shifting means, which has a driven gear meshing with the smaller-diameter gear, is for shifting the spool back and forth by rotating the driven gear.
In this reciprocating device, the drive gear rotates as a result of turning the handle. When the drive gear rotates, its rotation is transmitted to the larger-diameter gear of the stepped gear unit, and the smaller-diameter gear rotates together with the larger-diameter gear. When the smaller-diameter gear rotates, its rotation is transmitted to the driven gear, and the spool is shifted back and forth with the shifting means. Thus, rotation deceleration and the shifting of the spool is accomplished with a stepped gear unit of simple structure, so that it is not necessary to use any special gears, and the manufacturing costs can be kept down. The rotational axis of the stepped gear unit is arranged in parallel to the rotational axes of the drive gear and the driven gear, so that it is easy to ensure a high manufacturing precision.
According to a second aspect of the present invention, in a reciprocating device as in the first aspect, the drive gear is a pinion gear rotating around a spool shaft that can be shifted back and forth with respect to the reel unit, the spool being mounted to the tip of the spool shaft. The shifting means includes (i) a threaded shaft arranged in parallel to the spool shaft, the driven gear being attached non-rotatively to the threaded shaft, and intersecting helical grooves being formed in a surface of the threaded shaft, and (ii) a sliding element that can be shifted back and forth with respect to the reel unit, and has an engager engaging with the helical grooves. The spool shaft is mounted to the sliding element and cannot be shifted back and forth with respect to the sliding element. In this configuration, the rotational axis of the pinion gear, which is the drive gear and extends horizontally, as well as the rotational axis of the stepped gear unit, and the threaded shaft are arranged in parallel, so that the spinning reel can be made flat by arranging them vertically one above the other. Moreover, a compact vertical size can be achieved by arranging them horizontally next to one another.
According to a third aspect of the present invention, in a reciprocating device as in the first aspect, the rotor includes a barrel portion, and a pair of rotor arms extending frontward from a rear end of the barrel portion. The reel unit has a tubular portion extending into the barrel portion, and the stepped gear unit is arranged inside the tubular portion. With this configuration, the relatively large diameter stepped gear unit is arranged in the tubular portion extending into the barrel portion of the rotor, so that using space efficiently, the reel can be made flatter.
According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in a reciprocating device as in the first aspect, the drive gear is provided on a main gear shaft mounted rotatively in the reel unit, and rotates together with the handle. The shifting means includes a cam pin protruding from a lateral face of the driven gear, and a sliding element that can be shifted back and forth with respect to the reel unit and has a cam groove engaging the cam pin. The spool is attached to the front end of a spool shaft, which can be shifted back and forth with respect to the reel unit, and which is mounted to the sliding element with respect to which it cannot be shifted back and forth. With this configuration, the rotation is transmitted by three parallel rotational axes extending from left to right in the reel unit, so that the reel unit can be easily made thinner.
According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, in a reciprocating device as in any of the first to third aspects, the number of teeth on the drive gear is smaller than the number of teeth on the larger-diameter gear. This configuration achieves gearing-down between the shifting gear and the larger-diameter gear.
According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, in a reciprocating device as in the fifth aspect, the number of teeth on the driven gear is larger than the number of teeth on the smaller-diameter gear. With this configuration, deceleration between the driven gear and the smaller-diameter gear is achieved, and a large gear-down ratio is attained.
From the following detailed description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, the foregoing and other objects, features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become readily apparent to those skilled in the art.